S.B. 2882 Summary

• Establishes a Community Health Worker Certification Program administered by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to recognize and credential community health workers in Hawaii.

• Allows certification through either completion of a community health worker program at the University of Hawaii or community college system, or through 3,000+ hours of supervised work as a traditional health worker between January 1, 2005 and June 30, 2020.

• Requires all community health workers to be certified and associated with a community-based organization, local health care system, facility, clinic, or hospital beginning July 1, 2023.

• Creates a Community Health Worker Certification Special Subaccount within the Compliance Resolution Fund, funded by certification and renewal fees paid by practitioners.

• Establishes grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of certification, including fraud, incompetence, professional misconduct, and failure to comply with program requirements; violators may be fined up to $1,000 per violation.

• Sets sunset date of June 30, 2029 for the certification program, requiring legislative evaluation before repeal.